When growing a garden it's important to attract pollinators (i.e. bees, butterflies, hummingbirds) which are essential to growing plants. It's also important to give them a place to drink water!
Materials
- A shallow dish (pie pan, saucer, or plant tray). Try to avoid plastic dishes and instead opt for glass, terracotta, or porcelain.
- Pebbles, marbles, and small rocks of varying sizes
- Fresh water
- Fill the dish with clean water, just enough to barely cover the bottom.
- Add pebbles or marbles so they stick up above the water line. These give bees a safe place to land and drink without drowning.
- Place the station in a shady, quiet spot near flowering plants.
- Refill daily, especially in hot weather, to keep the water clean and fresh. You don't want to make pollinators sick!
- Optional: Add a small bit of twine or cork for extra landing zones.
Tips
- Don’t add sugar or honey to the water—it can harm bees.
- You can decorate the dish with bright, bee-attracting colored stones or marbles such as yellow or blue.
- Place multiple stations around your yard or garden for better access.
For an even easier pollinator station, hook it up to your already installed irrigation - giving it its own emitter. See here for a video about this.